One for the Road
by Nikholas F. Toledo Zu
Summary: [Switch] A concept short of some age. Can you make a better story around it?


Hi people! I'm kind of pooped because this is my third shortfic for today, and I still haven't done what I was supposed to do for today. Nuts. Anyway, here's a story concept that I'm testing out. Since I'm most comfortable writing Ranma, I'll try it on this first. Tell me what you think!  
  
***  
  
Akane woke up in bed with a headache.  
  
"Owwww..." she moaned.  
  
Her hair felt bedraggled and sticky, and she felt like she got stuck in a blender, while someone pressed "Whip Me Good".  
  
"Owwww..." she moaned again.  
  
A good bath would do me good, she thought.  
  
Taking her tolietries and a towel, she went out the door, but was asleep by the time she was out the door.  
  
***  
  
Ranma woke up.  
  
Apparently, he was sleepwalking, because he was already on the way to the bathroom. He just continued his subconscious trail, down the stairs and into the bath.  
  
He opened the outer door with only the most minimal of sounds.  
  
He undressed without really noticing it.  
  
A salty sensation tickled his nose. It was a familiar blend, and one that excited him. It also gave him goosebumps. What was it? A warm and tasty smell that would certainly keep him awake and fire his blood... a feminine type of smell, yet... edged with a dominating masculinity... macho...  
  
Ranma opened the inner door.  
  
From the other side of the room, a very naked Akane stared right back at him.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" *slam!*  
  
***  
  
Kasumi looked up from the sink, and she put the fish in the basin. "Funny," she said to no one, "I thought I heard Ranma and Akane shouting."  
  
Nabiki wiped her hands on the apron. "Yeah, so did I."  
  
Kasumi ran fingers through her triangular cut. "You know, I think I like this haircut. But, please, can we wear something... less revealing?"  
  
Nabiki traced the hem of her denim shorts and smiled. "Only if we lose the apron."  
  
***  
  
A mustached panda was brushing its teeth at the table.  
  
At the sight of a shortish bobbed-plus-pigtail deep-black-haired girl in a generic Furinkan High uniform, it raised an sign. It said: "Good morning, Akane. I see Ranma is in there with you."  
  
"It's not as though I wanted to!" Akane/Ranma bonked the panda.  
  
The panda retaliated with a sign-swipe. "Respect your elders!"  
  
"Ow." Apparently, Akane was back in control. "I swear, when I get my body back, I'll pound this idiot."  
  
Kasumi/Nabiki came in with breakfast. The panda broke down in spontaneous waterworks. "Don't leave me, Kasumi!"  
  
Nabiki took the moment to freeze him with a glance. "Puh-lease, Daddy."  
  
The sign twirled into: "what a scary lady."  
  
They stopped to eat, then left the dirty dishes for the fathers. Kasumi sounded apologetic, "I'm sorry, Father, but Nabiki might be late, so we'll go on ahead."  
  
Tendo-ke: One panda, plenty to do.  
  
***  
  
For once, they were early.  
  
"You guys, too?"  
  
Daisuke ran a hand through Hiroshi's perpetually disheveled hair. "There's never enough gel around when you need it."  
  
Sayuri considered Yuka's hairdo. "Maybe I should cut my hair..." Then, she sidled over to Akane, "have I got something..." She noticed the pigtail.  
  
"Hey, Ranma," Hiroshi started, "are we still on for this..." Daisuke obviously enforced his will at this point.  
  
Almost as one (but certainly as two), Yuka, Sayuri, Hiroshi and Daisuke turned from the couple.  
  
If they could, Ranma and Akane would have turned their noses at each other. For all it was worth, they just looked fuming.  
  
Then they heard the laughter.  
  
Class 1-F, as with the rest of Furinkan, assumed battle positions: they opened all the windows and peered.  
  
"'Ey, Tacchi! Yo be gettin' yo 'ercut to-day, keiki!"  
  
"Father dear! You would dare to shear that which makes the rising star of the martial-arts rythmic gymnastic world? Die, father!"  
  
"Not in uniform! Indecent exposure! Spontaneous aggression! You must be a delinquent!"  
  
"Beautious educator, I shall date with you!"  
  
Most of them turned away. Some of them pinched their noses in disgust. Hiroshi summed it up: "Hybrid battles."  
  
The bell rung.  
  
***  
  
Downstairs, a Hinako Ninomiya with a topknot formed as a bonsai palm, wearing a loud shirt and tacky sunglasses tried to suck the ki of a Tatewaki Kuno wearing only a ponytail and a leotard through the hole of her ukelele. The latter was waving a bokken and a ribbon.  
  
***  
  
The room seemed empty, but that was to be expected with the physical attendance effectively halved. However: "has anyone seen Ukyo?"  
  
Hiroshi and Yuka both shook their heads, and resumed setting the details of their double-double date.  
  
***  
  
"Where the hell are we now?" Ukyo screamed, some hundred miles away.  
  
***  
  
Operators standing by!  
  
Switch 


End file.
